Some time ago Greta Thunberg, Asperger's diagnosee and child of high profile dramatists, issued a preciously narcissistic and well sculpted wake-up call to the UN about climate change.
Some people called her out for speaking out of turn: what does a teenager know, when adults can't even agree on the meaningfulness of consensus? Are her parents using her as a prop for virtue signaling? Why is this particular event worth making Greta miss days of school?
Other people called out those people for being mean: Don't you know it's not nice or fair to talk to children that way? Why can't you just listen to her message and get with the program and shrink your carbon footprint?
My opinion? We should be encouraging our children to learn about and participate in matters of the world, in a way and to a degree that is appropriate for their level of development. When they do well, praise them, but be constructive rather than obsequious. If they don't do well, still be constructive, but be charitable.
If you're going to thrust them out into the professional league, though...be prepared for the fallout.
You're the parent/guardian. It's on you if your prized, adorable shill comes home shamed and with emotional scars. That's because you're the parent and are supposed to exercise some judgment in what your child is facing. Stepping in front of the public eye isn't quite as foolhardy as dropping your kid over the wall into the pit at the reptile house for some good pics for social media, but everyone else except for tyrants and busybodies are going to assume that you're managing the situation appropriately for your child's maturity level and that you recognize that they do not answer to you.
So maybe in the past people were reluctant to criticize a teenager for her juvenile rhetoric out of a sense of fair play to her. And maybe bystanders will rate that a win for you this time. But next time they will remember that your arguments are childish and that you won't even defend them yourself.
And what about Greta?
President Trump tweeted at her thusly: Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!"
She replied by changing her Twitter status to "a teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."
I'm not sure about this "up against a wall" thing, but I think she's going to be just fine.
Some people called her out for speaking out of turn: what does a teenager know, when adults can't even agree on the meaningfulness of consensus? Are her parents using her as a prop for virtue signaling? Why is this particular event worth making Greta miss days of school?
Other people called out those people for being mean: Don't you know it's not nice or fair to talk to children that way? Why can't you just listen to her message and get with the program and shrink your carbon footprint?
My opinion? We should be encouraging our children to learn about and participate in matters of the world, in a way and to a degree that is appropriate for their level of development. When they do well, praise them, but be constructive rather than obsequious. If they don't do well, still be constructive, but be charitable.
If you're going to thrust them out into the professional league, though...be prepared for the fallout.
You're the parent/guardian. It's on you if your prized, adorable shill comes home shamed and with emotional scars. That's because you're the parent and are supposed to exercise some judgment in what your child is facing. Stepping in front of the public eye isn't quite as foolhardy as dropping your kid over the wall into the pit at the reptile house for some good pics for social media, but everyone else except for tyrants and busybodies are going to assume that you're managing the situation appropriately for your child's maturity level and that you recognize that they do not answer to you.
So maybe in the past people were reluctant to criticize a teenager for her juvenile rhetoric out of a sense of fair play to her. And maybe bystanders will rate that a win for you this time. But next time they will remember that your arguments are childish and that you won't even defend them yourself.
And what about Greta?
President Trump tweeted at her thusly: Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!"
She replied by changing her Twitter status to "a teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."
I'm not sure about this "up against a wall" thing, but I think she's going to be just fine.
No comments:
Post a Comment